Reader x ShadowStorm
by SuspiciousMafioso
Summary: You and your best friend Carolina decide to venture to VidCon for a weekend. Almost immediately, you spot him. Your favorite YouTuber and Overwatch Mastermind: ShadowStorm. How will you express your feelings?
1. Chapter One: Making Tracer

Cosplay? Why in the world did you choose to cosplay? To VidCon, even, VidCon. It didn't seem right.

"Come on, [Your Name, help me out here," your best friend Carolina called. You had known her forever, it felt like since the day you were born. She was busy painting some craft foam to turn into Sombra's gun from Overwatch, but you couldn't hear. You were too busy watching your favorite Youtuber: ShadowStorm. Your earbuds were plugged in, and you were listening to his smooth, calm voice explain about some new Overwatch update. "This isn't just my project."

You'd sigh. "This video's over in two minutes, relax."

She walked over to you, her gloved hands covered in gray paint. "What's with you and those videos, anyways?" She peeked over your shoulder, looking at the screen flashing with many colors. "I mean, I get it's Overwatch, and there are plenty more Overwatch videos on the internet, but why this?"

"It's just…" You didn't know what to tell her. "There's so many things, I can't even sum it up."

She snatched your phone, pausing the video and unplugging your headphones. "Here's the deal. Help me paint all our guns, and then I'll let you watch your video." Carolina took your phone and placed it on the window. "Now, come help me."

You got off the bed. "Okay, okay." She tossed you a can of paint, and you instantly caught it.

"I kinda want to see what all the hype around you and Youtube nowadays. I don't remember you being too much of a social person in the first place, but this is a whole new level." She'd grab your phone, clicking on a video. It was one of his videos.

It started up, and you heard the familiar smooth voice. "Hey guys, it's ShadowStorm back with another video! This one's about the Horizon Lunar Colony, Blizzard's new map, and what I think it will do to change the tides in Overwatch today. Apparently it's already released on the PTR, but…"

You eyed Carolina. You had already seen this one. Like most of his videos, you could recite this one by heart. Carolina didn't seem to find it as fascinating, but she kept watching. "Huh. Never knew half this stuff about the game. Interesting." She proceeded to paint her gun. You studied her technique, trying to copy it the best you could on your white foam gun. You were going to be the Tracer to your friend's Sombra, but you wanted to do the Posh skin. She assured you you would look better in it, and you couldn't help but trust her. The two of you thought that the normal Tracer was done too often, so why not sew leather into an epic bodysuit?

Back in the timeline, you were painting your gun. Carolina was the best of your friends, instead of watching Youtube videos like you did, she was busy making pistols out of foam for some reason. She always seemed to plan things out instead of do them on the spot. She was experienced in the art of conventions, while this was only your second. Every now and then, you couldn't help but watch ShadowStorm's video.

Moments later, the video ended. "So, what'd you think?"

"Eh, it was okay."

" ** _Okay? IT WAS JUST OKAY?" You'd break out into Primal Rage and smash the foam guns to pieces. "DID YOU JUST CALL MY FAVORITE YOUTUBER JUST OKAY?"_** (void)

Oh. She thought it was just okay. She didn't have the same love you did. You would just have to accept it. "Ah, I get why you think that, anyways...can we watch another one?"

Carolina sighed. "Sure." She handed you your phone. "You know what, [YN]?"

"What?"

She put her paint beside her. "You've been kind of hesitant to work on this cosplay, and I think there's some weird reason. I mean, I've known you this long. Didn't you go into a phase like this some other time?"

You shrugged. Did you really want her to know the truth? "Well, I did, you've got that right. About this? There's nothing...wrong."

Carolina laughed. "Oh, really?" She smiled a sly smirk.

You couldn't help but laugh as well. "Fine, fine. I'm just worried that I'm going to be judged, and that...he'll be there."

Her pupils enlarged. "You think...you think that ShadowStorm's going to be there?"

You'd gulp, nodding. You hoped that your friend didn't judge you.

"Well, let me check. I knew I heard the name ShadowStorm somewhere before." She grabbed your phone, viciously texting in keywords to help find out. "Okay, [YN, don't freak out. He's going."

Your eyes instantly widened. He? _The_ ShadowStorm was going to be there? "H-He is?"

"Oh, and don't freak out even more, but he's hosting a panel."

Your heart seemed to stop for a second. You could already see it. You were going to meet your favorite Youtuber. And he'd respect you. But, there was something stopping you. "Carolina...what if he's not like how he seems?"

She raised an eyebrow. "Oh, sorry, I already bought tickets for us."

" _What?!"_

"Uh huh. Just relax. It'll be alright. You'll always have a back door." Carolina grinned at her Sombra reference. "Get it?"

You didn't respond. You were too busy thinking. What, why, this was all too coincidental. "It's not okay, this is too…" You couldn't seem to speak for some reason. Normally, you could speak freely about Youtube and Overwatch like it was no one's business. Knowing that he'd be there, you couldn't.

"It's too…? Do you like him that much or anything?"

You shook your head, keeping a lie. "No, not at all."

Carolina placed her paint aside. "Exactly. It's scary meeting an online friend for the first time in real life."

"You have before?"

She burst out laughing. "Are you kidding me? No! Why would I have..?"

You stared at her, groaning. This wasn't the best advice. "This isn't the best advice."

"Exactly. I just thought you wouldn't panic when I told you."

You stared her down. "Well, the thing is, he has my Overwatch, and...uh...well, he's played with me, heard my voice…" You began to panic again.

" _Quit it_ ," Carolina instructed. "You'll be fine. Just be Tracer. Relax."

You weren't going to relax. You were going to ShadowStorm's panel, and you were going to make a fool out of yourself.


	2. Chapter Two: Recall!

Another day passed in front of your eyes. You hadn't done anything but finish your cosplay. All last night you styled your wig, and even though you put in tiring hours, it still didn't feel perfect. By perfect, you meant good enough for him. You became anxious, but thankfully, Carolina was coming over.

The doorbell rang. It was her, with your prop pistols painted perfectly. She also had another huge bag of supplies in her car. "Huh. Didn't expect you to be this early."

She strutted in, dropping all her things on the dining room table without a care. "Exactly! I just love seeing your face surprised." Carolina unzipped your bag. "I got a lot of work done last night. The dress is almost done, still going legging hunting...you?"

You beckoned your friend upstairs. "You'll freak when you see this." Carolina sprinted behind you at breakneck pace. Then, you opened the door to your bedroom, the wig standing on the bedside table. "How about them apples?"

A smile went across her face. "That looks amazing, [YN]. Fabulous! I can't wait to see it on you!" She looked at your face, mimicking it. "You seem suddenly sad. Why?"

You managed to show her a half-smile. "I...just don't think it'll be good enough for him."

"For who-oh, I see it now." She sat down on your bed without permission. "How the heck did you meet this...ShadowStorm anyways?"

You sighed, plopping down beside her. "It's a bit of a story…"

 _It was another Wednesday at your house. You were younger then, and obsessed with the birth of technology. Sometimes, you still regret it._ _You were mindlessly scrolling through YouTube. Nothing seemed to pop out. The titles seemed all the same. You had watched all the videos you had ever wanted. Or so you thought._

 _The Trending tab? You had seen it all. The last thing you watched was some girl ranting on how bad her life was. You felt sorry for her at first, then you realized she was only a girl on a video. Comforting her sounded pointless._

 _"Whatcha up to, little sis?"_ _You almost jumped out of your seat. It was your brother. He was only two years older than you, but it felt like a huge gap in both gender and age. He didn't seem to get you._

 _"N-Nothing," you muttered, closing out of the tab and trying to pull up something else. "Just bored."_

 _"Huh. Bored, eh? What were you doing before you were bored?" He cast you a look of 'I know you were on YouTube, don't try to hide it.'_

 _You sighed. "Watching a girl rant on how much her life sucks."_

 _He laughed. "Isn't that what YouTube is, anyways? Either that or Minecraft videos. Or maybe some other things, but, eh...who cares. What are you looking for?" He peeked right over your ear, clicking in the search box._

 _"I don't know, really...I just died of boredom from watching said Minecraft videos. I just want something new. Something that will keep me watching, not hopping from channel to channel." You gave him a disgusted expression. "Got anything?"_

 _He stared at you, blocking your computer. "Do you like watching people open things?"_

 _"Eugh, no."_

 _He cackled at your response. "Good. That was a joke. Now get out of the Captain's Chair, Captain, and let your First Lieutenant handle things."_

 _You didn't like his jokes. They never seemed to work out. Also, he babied you too much. Didn't he know you were too old for this?_ _You obeyed his command, getting out of your office chair and letting him take the mouse and the keyboard. "Ever heard of Overwatch?"_

 _The name sounded familiar from somewhere. "Yeah, I've heard of it. Never seen it in action, however." You didn't know where he would take you._

 _"Good, because I know a channel that will teach you all you'd ever want to know about the game." He typed in a simple keyword or two. "He's called ShadowStorm."_ _The name had a wonderful ring to it._

 _"Okay…?" You were still questioning this guy._

 _He scrolled through his uploads. "Okay. I'll show you one called 'What if Sombra is a Cyborg?' It's one of my personal favorites, I must sa-"_

 _You cut him off as you paused the ad. "Who's Sombra?"_

 _He let out a fake gasp. "Oh, you haven't heard of Sombra, one of the world's most notorious hackers?"_

 _"That's right, I haven't." You were growing impatient. "I'm growing impatient. Show me the video."_

 _"Okay, okay…" Your brother skipped the ad with a devilish smirk, and the video began._ _"Hey guys! It's ShadowStorm here with another Overwatch video! This one's on Sombra, one of Overwatch's relatively new heroes, and funny story, I came up with this theory in the middle of…"_ _His voice seemed to trail off in your mind. This channel was perfect. The excellent commentary,the viewer interaction, even the pleasant sound of his voice. It was all exceptional. You had found the one._

 _"Yo, sis?" Your brother gave you the crazy eye. You prayed that he didn't notice how you looked in that one moment. "You liking the video?"_

 _"Y-Y...Yes, I mean. I like it. A lot." You caught yourself before you could say something too personal. Good girl._

 _"Good! I'm glad to hear it! Now, uh, I'll leave and shut up so you can watch your video in peace. Dinner's in a bit."_

 _"Okay!" You screamed, sitting in the chair and continuing to watch._ _That's where your addiction started. That Wednesday night, you had binge-watched all his videos and bought Overwatch. You loved it all, the videos, the lore, the everything._

Now, you knew your brother would freak when he figured out you were meeting ShadowStorm in person.


	3. Chapter Three: Starbucks with a Star

The day of the convention had finally come. It was your day of reckoning, your day to show everyone that you were fine with being awkward and cosplaying. It would be the day you'd see ShadowStorm.

Your heart was racing as you walked through the doors with your accelerator braced on you. Carolina literally held your hand throughout the first few moments. "It will be okay. Relax. In a few seconds, we will be flooded for pictures. They like us. Everyone here likes us."

You stared into your friend's eyes. "Okay...okay. This will be alright…" This was not what you expected. So many people, so much...attention. You didn't have very much of a breakfast because Carolina had drove you to your hotel in the middle of the night, and she woke you up early this morning to get ready. She forced you into makeup, making sure you looked straight out of Overwatch. Honestly, you were tired.

Immediately, people with cameras came up to you like you were a celebrity or something. Carolina hit a pose, crossing her arms and bringing her leg up to Sombra's hacking pose. Naturally, you decided to play along and hit another one of Tracer's victory poses. She had a sly half smile, you showed a bit of teeth. This wasn't so bad...was it?

Finally, you could move a few feet without being hogged for pictures. Your stomach was killing you, but you had just hit the main hall, crammed with booths and auditoriums off the side. "Holy…"

"I know, right? This is what cons are like. Insane, millions of people. Normally, there would be many more people cosplaying like us, but this is for YouTube. No one seems to do it," Carolina commented.

A photographer whipped his camera toward you. "Tracer! Sombra! Here!" Almost on command, you froze in a pose, trying to hold a smile. Carolina did the same. "Great! It's wonderful to see a couple cosplayers here. Thanks for the pics!"

Your friend smiled. "You're welcome." Carolina rolled her eyes. "Sometimes, it does get a bit overwhelming."

You nodded. "No kidding…" You looked around, everything having an orange tint.

"We have about thirty minutes before the line gets long," she noted. Boy, she knew everything.

"I'm a little hungry," you remarked, following your friend.

"That's exactly why I'm leading us to a Starbucks in the convention center. It's what I always get at conventions." She smirked. "Just follow my lead on everything and it will be alright."

"Okay, okay...Understood!"

She laughed. "Group up with me!"

You almost tripped since you were distracted by the Overwatch reference. It was around 9:10 in the morning. Your eyes watched the huge Starbucks line in front of you. "Oh boy…"

She smirked at you. "Everything can be hacked…and everyone." Carolina led you around to a line all the way to the left. That one, along with the one next to it, was relatively short. "Look at that. Three people in front of us. What did I tell you?"

"Guess the rest of 'em are just too slow!" You remarked with a laugh. "I know what I want. You?"

She looked at her long nails. "Yeah. I'm paying for my drink only. You brought some money, right?" She held her foam gun beside her.

You observed the menu, and as your eyes trailed down, you noticed a figure in an all brown trenchcoat. He was relatively tall with dark hair. He seemed familiar from somewhere, but you didn't know from where. "Carolina…?"

"Mhm?"

"Does the guy in that trenchcoat look familiar to you…?" You hoped and prayed she would say yes. However, you could only stare at the back of his head. Could it be him?

You were stuck staring at this stranger. Reality seemed to fade away. There was a strong sense that you could be standing beside ShadowStorm. The rest of the world seemed to fade away in it's orange tint. It was so magical. "Excuse me, Miss?" Who said that? "Miss? What would you like to order?" It was the Starbucks barista.

"Oh, uh...I'd like a grande Vanilla Bean Frappuccino, thanks…" You sighed in relief, reaching into a hidden pocket in your accelerator, trying to find the money. "And you...Sombra?"

You looked over and she already had her Sumatran roast. "Done."

"That will be 3.99."

You finally found the pocket, reaching into it. You hoped you didn't look too awkward as you slammed a single dollar and a mob of coins on the table. "Let's see...one dollar and sixty-nine...crap! I don't have enough money."

Your stomach began hurting even more. Carolina was struggling to get out her wallet, when a large hand slapped down four dollars. "I'll pay for it. Keep the change."

Your heart skipped a beat. It was him. You tensed up. He...he paid for your drink! ShadowStorm paid for your drink! You knew his face anywhere. You had memorized it after he posted his face reveal video you couldn't help but loop all night. "Th...thank you, sir. I…"

Carolina, your wingman, stepped in. "What she means to ask if there's any way she can repay you. By the way, the name for her order is Lena," she flawlessly told the barista.

You slowly nodded at her statement. You couldn't take your eyes off of him. "Please, call me Shad, short for ShadowStorm." He walked over, taking his drink and handing you yours. "By the way, nice cosplay, Lena."

Your mouth tried to form the words. "Th... thank s, Shad." You were too nervous. You were shorter than him. He was too perfect. You were afraid you would fluster with the words if you tried to say them, so you sipped your Frappuccino, the smooth vanilla flavor hitting your lips.

"Well, it's been a pleasure to meet you two. I'm hosting a panel on how to make great gaming videos in around thirty minutes, if you guys would like to come." He held out his non-drink hand to shake. You took it, shaking it.

"We're all big fans of yours and will definitely come to the panel. I bought tickets for us as soon as we found it." Carolina took his hand, shaking it with a smile. You really needed some help with being as smooth as her. "I apologize for Tracer's shyness. This is her first convention."

"Ah, I remember my first convention…" Shad smiled, looking down at you. You began to slightly envy your friend's composure when it came to guys. She was so laid back, able to ease her fears. Maybe it helped that she hadn't watched as many videos. "Anyways, I'll see you girls at the panel in a few?"

You nodded, still sipping. The brain freeze was kicking in. "Bye, Shad!" You exclaimed as he left. You instantly regretted letting your lips loose.

He looked back in the distance, smirking at you. The last thing you saw was him winking in your direction.

Suddenly, you remembered why you spent the past year obsessed with his videos. He was even better in real life.


	4. Chapter Four: The Panel

The line for ShadowStorm's panel stretched out the door and all the way through the first few booths in Artist Alley. You couldn't see the end from where you stood. You were too excited to think about it.

Photographers still snapped pictures of you and Carolina. You didn't even know how long you had been at the con, and you didn't want it to end.

Finally, the line began to shrink. They were letting people in. You couldn't stop smiling. You would see him in his natural habitat.

When you met eyes with Carolina again, she was giving you the crazy eye. "Please. Stop smiling. You're scaring people away."

Your eyes enlarged. "Exactly! I want them gone so that there can be more room in the panel!"

"That's not the best attitude, Lena. I know you're excited, but isn't that a bit overkill?" Carolina sighed, looking at her long colored nails on her gloves.

You grumbled. "Well, yeah, yeah...I'm...sorry about what happened at Starbucks?" You followed the line in, showing your badge and sitting down. The front table was empty. "I think I'm just awkward around him…"

Your friend stared at you with squinted eyes. "Don't worry! Sip your Frappucino! It will relax you. We're in just another panel. It's just no big deal." She leaned back in her chair, pulling out her phone. It was something Sombra would do. That was another reason you were slightly jealous of your friend.

The Frappucino wasn't cold anymore. You missed the chill on your tongue. At least Carolina was nice enough to save you a seat close to the table. You could almost see his face up there. It was so amazing.

Then you checked the time. You still had five minutes to wait to see his face again. Maybe he took his trenchcoat off. Maybe he would have made sure his hair looked better. Was there any way this could be better?

Your heart began to quicken just thinking about him. _Four minutes._

"Hey!" Someone called. But it wasn't meant for you, you thought, it was meant for Sombra. Or Carolina. Whichever was better in the moment. "I love your costumes, you two!"

Your friend was so lucky. She could make a conversation out of anything. "Oh, really? She remarked. "Do you play?"

The eager twenty-something pulled out his phone. "Yes! Of course. I'm a Hanzo main, actually."

You couldn't help but laugh. "Hanzo main!" You realized you were louder than most people in the room. "I'm a die-hard Tracer main. No wonder I'm like this, right?"

Hanzo Main gave you a look. The flutter returned to your voice. You were getting nervous as the minutes ticked away. _Three minutes_.

You sipped your Frappuccino, hoping Carolina would keep you entertained for just a little longer. "Sombra Main, obviously. Apagando las luces, hello!" She laughed.

He chuckled after her. "Been a few months since I've seen a girl who's something other than a Mercy main, amiright?" Hanzo Main adjusted his glasses. It reminded you of Winston, slightly. "Yeah, so you guys big fans of ShadowStorm or whatever?"

You froze up. Oh. That's why you were here. Right. This was _his_ panel. Mr. Buy-You-A-Drink-At-Starbucks. And there was just two minutes before you would see him again.

Carolina met your gaze, noticing you were tense. "Yeah, we're fans."

"Aspiring 'tubers?"

She shook her hands. "Just here for the party. For the fun and all that fluff. You?"

He ruffled his strawberry hair, replying, "Yeah, want to start an Overwatch channel soon. Mostly gameplay, I suppose." He shrugged. "Maybe a bit of lore? Never know, right?"

Carolina eyed you, obviously uninterested in the conversation. "Yeah…" She responded, letting the silence linger. _One minute._

An announcer came up to the stage. "Is everyone here for the 'How to Make Better Gaming Videos' panel?" The microphone gave some feedback. Everyone shut their ears and nodded. "Well, good, because there are a few panels going on at the same time as this one." The announcer let out a breath of relief, his badge dangling from his neck.

"Alright, now here's the moment most of you have been waiting for, the panel." The Overwatch theme cued up, trying to make it sound epic. "First up, we have one of everyone's top three Overwatch YouTubers: ShadowStorm!"

You saw his face in the distance. Your ears tuned out the screaming and clapping. The Overwatch theme never sounded so good. It was all so magical, watching him sit down in a foldout chair at a table.

It was like one of those cheesy scenes in commercials where the main character finds the one they love. The soft pink vignette forms around the person, and you can't help but swoon. It was as if you had hearts booming out of your eyes.

Honestly, you didn't care about the rest of the people on the panel. Sure, you heard of them, but they were not the same.

Finally, everyone was seated. Carolina gave you the glare, telling you to quit it. You tried, sipping your Frappuccino. It was almost gone. "What's up Vidcon how're you doing today?" ShadowStorm screamed into the mic in one straight phrase.

You cheered as loud as the rest of them. They loved it, they loved him. They just don't know how you feel. "So here's the deal, I and the rest of the people at this table will discuss the basics of how to keep your audience captivated and into the game, then we'll open the floor up for questions. You all might even get a preview of our newest projects…" He whispered. His voice was chocolate, smooth and sweet with a little bit of rich flavor. The new projects would be even tastier.

Time flew by fast. You didn't care what everyone else at the table had to say. You would even like it to go faster if it could. All you wanted to hear about were the questions, what everyone else had to ask, tell him how you felt. But others kept talking, interrupting him sometimes. You wanted them to stop.

Finally, he had a chance to speak, but it felt like it was close to being over. "Well, what I like to do is think about what I'd like to watch, then I put all my effort into it and hope other people like it. That's what I've been doing ever since I made the account. I also like throwing humor into it, especially in 'What if Sombra was a cyborg.'"

Of course, Carolina laughed. You laughed along too, knowing it was the first video you watched. It brought it all back. He continued, "Yeah, and does that seem like it, you guys?" Shad looked down the table. They all nodded. "Well! I'll open up the floor for questions! Just raise your hand, and Jim, is that it," Jim nodded, "will come to you with a handheld mic."

Carolina smirked at you. "You going to ask a question, Lena?" She snickered, but you took no offense to it. "I think you should."

You shook your head. The nerves were too big a factor.

"Come on," she murmured, "just one question. It's not hard."

You sipped more. "Sure. You ask one then," you dared. People were already asking away.

"Watch me," she said, raising her hand. Jim came over with a microphone, and she stepped out of her seat.

You watched your friend, like she instructed you too. She was so confident. "ShadowStorm, what are you working on?"

"What do you mean? I'm always working," he replied with a sly smile, meaning it was meant to be joking.

"I mean, what's your newest project?"

ShadowStorm took a moment to think about it, then he responded. "If you haven't seen the trailer, then I'll tell you about it now. It's basically an Overwatch Question and Answer series, where instead of asking questions to someone like me, they would be asking it to...Pharah, for example. Speaking of Pharah, I'm always in need of more voice actors…" He winked at the crowd. "All the questions would be in the comments of the previous video. Who's excited for that?" The crowd roared, and you roared with them. But...wouldn't you miss hearing his voice? Oh wait, he voices Genji. "Thanks for your question. Next?"

Carolina slid back into her seat. "Told you it was simple, right?"

You nodded as another man went up to ask a question about what the first video you post can become. "I'm still not doing it," you whispered. "It's ShadowStorm, for God's sake, not a businessman on the street."

Carolina was not impressed. She begged, "Come on! It'll be easy, and you won't remember it!"

Another person on the panel was answering the question. "Thanks again. Next?" The YouTuber asked.

"At least let me see a few more."

The next girl in line was bleach blonde, wearing a teal tank top and looked like something just out of a spinoff magazine. Obviously, she came to this con for the popularity or the makeup tutorials. She twirled her hair with one hand, the mic in the other. "Uh, this is a question for Shadow." She was chewing some gum. "Do you have a girlfriend?"

Everyone in the crowd laughed. Even Shadow laughed. It would've seemed silly if you were a normal person, but no one else knew your passion. Carolina wasn't laughing either. You sat patiently, almost bursting out of your seat with anticipation to hear his prized answer.

Once the laughing died down, he calmed himself and answered. "Actually, I don't have one. I'm single." He chuckled nervously. That must mean something. Anything. He was open. All you had to do was ask. "Alright, alright, I hear we're running short on time, so this will be the last question."

Carolina grabbed your wrist, shoving it in the air. You were shocked. You honestly had no question. You sipped your Frappuccino, realizing it was gone. You had no security.

"Drum roll please!" Shadow commanded. "And the last question will go to...the Tracer cosplayer!"

You froze. He meant you. You had no question, you didn't know what to ask him.

Jim held the microphone right in front of you. Everything felt warm in your face, and you noticed it was growing red. "What's your question, girl?" Jim asked.

You had no answer. There was complete silence, all eyes on you. "I...I'm really sorry," you spit out, breaking the silence, "but I forgot my question."

You forgot your Frappuccino was out, so you sipped it and it made a loud noise into the microphone, as if it couldn't get any worse.

ShadowStorm looked at you with sympathetic eyes. "Don't worry, it's nothing. Love the costume, by the way!"

You didn't like all this attention. You wanted him to keep breaking the silence, telling everyone it was time to leave, and that they needed to go, now. They needed to go so they didn't see you embarrass yourself again.

"Well, uh, everyone, looks like the panel's over! It's eleven! Let's give one more hand for our esteemed panelists!" The roar of the crowd masked your desperate slurping. As soon as you saw one person get up, you dashed out, afraid to show your face.

That was it. It wasn't _your_ face, it was Lena Oxton's. No one knew your name. No one cared. A few stares meant nothing.

You looked behind you at the empty auditorium. People flooded out, and with them was Carolina, her face more obvious than anyone else's. "[YN]! What happened?"

"You know. Well, you should know." You tossed your Frappuccino in the trash. You didn't need it anymore.

"Embarrassed? I get you. He's another person that you wouldn't really want to screw up in front of, huh?" You nodded. Carolina always knew how to get to you. "Maybe he isn't the same as he is online?"

You shook your head. "No, he is. Trust me."

Just then, you felt another hand on your back. It wasn't slender, like Carolina's. Your eyes grew wide once you heard his voice. "I'm sorry about what happened."

You sighed, staring up into ShadowStorm's eyes. "No, it's not your fault. It's mine, I didn't know what to ask you."

He smiled at you. "At least you're okay now, right? Heroes never die."

You grinned back at him. Carolina flashed you a half-smile. She was happy. You knew it. "Thanks for uh...caring about me. I mean, I know I'm just another fan and all…" You scratched your wig with your foam gun.

He stayed silent. "It doesn't matter, does it?"

"Yeah…" You nodded, smiling. The crowd of people seemed to split right when they hit the trio of you. It was heavenly. The silence was golden. You really, really, wanted to kiss him, but you figured it wouldn't work, wouldn't make sense. Almost like magnets, you leaned forward, not even wanting to. Your face grew closer to his.

Then, a hand stopped you. It was Shad's. "Do you want to...go out to lunch together? I'm kind of hungry."

You looked to the side. Carolina had disappeared. "Y..yeah. I'd love to, I suppose."

He smiled, leading you through the crowds, his trench coat back on. Your grin almost matched his. People still took pictures. Lena was back, and everyone needed the pictures.

As soon as the photographers grew closer, he took your palm and began running. You dashed by Carolina, barely getting a glimpse of her before you went out the door. She followed close behind.

In the back, you saw her trying to navigate toward you. Carolina gave you a stern whisper. "Where are you gonna go?"

"Out. He wants to go to lunch with me...trust me, we'll be back, I'll give you all the deets."

She laughed. "Phew! Thanks. Almost thought I'd have to force something out of you," Carolina remarked. "Text me if you need anything. I'll be here on the floor." She moved back, clearing her throat. "I'd love to stay and chat, but I'm not going to."

You turned your head for a second as Shadow joyfully weaved through the crowds. Once you looked back at Carolina, she was gone. She left no trace.

Maybe you were in over your head.


	5. Chapter Five: Wendy's

Shad stopped, almost making you fall because it was so abrupt. It was the blonde girl with the blue tank top. "Oh, Shad! Who's this?" She immediately began to try to touch him.

"It's a good friend of mine." Shad gave her stern eyes.

"Oooh!" She squealed. "A good friend? I thought you said you didn't have a girlfriend!" She tipped her head at him, placing her hands delicately on his shoulders. You hated it, how she could just go and seduce your man. She could go up to a Youtuber with a dirty little smirk on her face and get what she wanted. It was almost as if she had a backstage pass to everything thanks to her sluttiness. What was that girl's problem?

Whatever the hell it was, it got you ticked.

You swatted her right hand off his shoulder. "What do you think you're doing…?" Shad sternly whispered in your ear.

"Being a hero…" You muttered, your teeth clenched.

"Stop."

Seconds later, you realized you couldn't be a hero. He was right. You were with the love of your life, quite possibly. You should...chill. It didn't make sense for you to be all messed up over a girl already. You hung your head, realizing the fact.

Back in the moment, Miss Tank Top handed you a grimace. "Hey! Someone's feisty, isn't she, Shad?"

Shad.

She called him Shad.

Damn her.

You let out a low growl. Oh no she didn't. You wanted to slap her, beat the crap out of her until she fell on the hot pavement, crying for mercy.

But you didn't have the power.

Shad stared down at her. "Fine, you caught me, wow. She is my girlfriend."

You froze, trying to hide the smile. ShadowStorm called you his girlfriend. Not anyone else's, his. "Really?" The girl chimed. "I thought you'd be with someone better than a lousy Tracer wannabe." She took a piece of paper out of her pocket, handing it to Shadow. "Here's my number if you're ever looking for a girl worth your time." She winked at him, turning and strutting down the street the other way in her shiny high heels.

He grabbed your hand, pulling you away. It was clear he was through with it. His fist clenched and crumbled up the slip of paper as you walked briskly to keep up with his furious strides.

"What was that about?" You matched his pace, strolling across the street toward his car.

"It was nothing. Just another crazy fan. Typical." You sensed his lie. Not that many girls would be that crazy, right? "We're almost there. Just a little longer."

You glared at him. "Didn't they give you luxury parking since you were a guest or something?"

He shook his head, motioning to the steamy parking lot in front of you. "I got here early." He pressed the unlock button on his keychain. A glittering grey Ford Focus stood in front of you. "First row."

Shad grabbed the handle of the passenger side, opening the door for you. "Come on in, make yourself cozy, Lena!" He laughed at his own joke, sprinting around the back of the car and swinging himself into the driver's seat. He took his white badge on its heavily buttoned lanyard and hung it around the rearview mirror. "Don't want to forget this, do I…"

You smiled at him, scratching your head. "Yeah…" The awkwardness and embarrassment set in again.

This was all a dream, wasn't it? You were going out to lunch with one of your favorite people in the entire universe. Your butt was comforted; your heart was pleased out of its mind. You couldn't stop thinking about how wonderful it was.

But your stomach felt sick with all the butterflies. You'd mess up again. Now was a no-Frappucino zone. "So...where to?" You asked with an awkward sigh.

He looked in his rearview mirror, slowly backing out of the parking spot. "Wherever you want to go. What're you in the mood for?"

He was so patient with you, waiting for your answer when you honestly had no idea where you'd like to go.

His car glided past all the anxious lines of con-goers. You couldn't help but smile as you watched them slide past as there was no traffic. "I don't...really know," you replied.

The car came to a slight stop at a stoplight. "You sure you don't have anything? Google's taught me a couple restaurants around here anyways. I came early to get a 'feel' of the city so I'll have a nicer vibe throughout the whole con, you know?"

You nodded. "Yeah, I get it." You rubbed your arm, the soft leather calming your anxious nerves. You kept your eyes out the window, looking at the world through an orange tint. His voice soothed you as well. You tried to crack a smile, only getting a glance at him because of his reflection. You were warming up to him.

"Chinese? Barbecue?"

You shrugged. "I'm not huge on any certain...type of food? You...get me?"

He sighed. "Yeah, I guess. Should we...just drive until you see something?"

"Sure, I guess." You tossed your head to the side, messing with your wig. It was bugging you because it was so hot, but you didn't want to take it off. It felt great to be Tracer. You didn't want that to end either.

He kept driving and decided to turn on the radio. "Maybe a radio station would be easier to decide on."

You nodded, listening to the alternative radio. It reminded you of the time you wanted to learn guitar.

Your eyes noticed something out the window. "You know what?" You remarked, "I haven't been to Wendy's in forever." The sign flashed by as you were on the interstate.

"Huh really? You wanna go?" He made a U-Turn and pulled you over, parking in the lot. "Guess it's too late!"

You looked at him. "I don't think I want to go in, really. In this, you know…"

"Ah. I see it now." He kicked his feet up on the dashboard. "Then tell me what you want, I'll go up and get it. We can go to a park or something to eat it." His smile was so charming. "Mkay?"

You scratched your wig. What would you get that wouldn't be too hard to eat, but would still fill you up? You didn't know, but there was one thing you used to always get at Wendy's: a vanilla frosty. Yep, you were a vanilla chick. First the Frappuccino, now the frosty. "Uh...I think I'll take anything with chicken on it plus a vanilla frosty, if that's alright with you…"

You reached into your Chronoaccelerator, trying to pull out some more cash. "Stop," he said. You looked up into his picturesque eyes. "I'll pay again."

He took his feet off the dashboard. "Oh...uh...thanks, I guess…"

Next, Shad stepped out of the car, bending down to say something to you. "It's nothing, Lena. Starbucks was no biggie, this isn't any different. This won't take long."

You nodded in reply as he left, slamming the door. Just so you didn't suffocate with your leather and sweaty wig, he left the sunroof open. Then, you looked down at where he was sitting earlier.

He left his phone.

"Hm…" You picked it up, and being the mischievous person you were, opened the camera and took some selfies. You smiled, laughing, pointing with your fingers at times, channeling your inner Tracer. You couldn't feel any better. You were confident, outgoing, and always grinning. You weren't [YN, you were Lena Oxton.

All of a sudden, his phone started vibrating. Someone was calling. You dropped it out of shock, releasing a small yelp and hoping you didn't break it. Slowly, you reached down and picked it up. "Michael. Maybe one of his friends," you assumed. And with a bright grin, you swiped and answered the call. "Cheers, love!"

Holy heck. Your Tracer impression wasn't half bad. Well, it was passable.

Michael sounded surprised. "Shad, this isn't funny."

"Funny, huh? Well I'm Lena, Shadow can't come to the phone right now. Would you like me to pass on a message to him?" You channeled a little bit of a telemarketer at that part.

"Uh...I don't know, really? I was just going to ask if he wanted to meet up back at the convention and play some games or something…" Michael was still confused. "Who are you, anyway? How did you get Shad's phone?"

You answered this part with a smirk. "I already answered that! I'm Lena Oxton! Tracer! As for the phone part, he told me to pick up any calls he had while he was away, getting food! So here I am!"

"Right, so I'm going to believe that you're Tracer from Overwatch."

"Yep!"

Michael muttered something under his breath. You couldn't understand him. "Anyways, just pass that message onto Shad, Lena. Also tell him Mikey says hi."

"Okay!" You chimed back. "Have a wonderful day, love!"

Michael suddenly sounded a little bit more interested. "Alright, will do, Tracer! Keep pushing the payload."

You answered, "A'ight! Will do! Thanks!"

"No problem." Michael hung up.

You immediately broke out laughing. People stared at you as they walked into the Wendy's and heard you laugh so hard you cried. "Tracer! Right!" You slapped your knee, leaning back in your seat and staring out the sunroof, still laughing. You put Shadow's phone where it was before, in the seat.

The fit lasted for a little longer, and once you were done, you moved your seat back to its normal position. Then, you checked to see if your makeup was still intact. Cosplay would probably be the only time you wore this makeup.

Shad opened the driver's seat, carrying your food. He placed your Frosty in the cupholder. "Hey, I got you some chicken nuggets since mostly every burger in there had meat on it. That okay?"

You stared at him. You were about to break out laughing again, but you held it in. "Yeah, that's cool."

Before sitting down, Shad noticed his phone. "Crap. I left this in here." He picked it up. "Did anyone call?"

You thought about it for a second. Would it be better to nervously lie, or confidently say what you did?

Eh. The lie would work out. Even if it didn't, you had a plan. "Nope! No one called."

"Alright, cool. Thanks for watching my phone," he stated, backing out the car.

You popped a nugget into your mouth. "Thanks for the food."

"I told you, it was nothing. Both of our meals together cost about twenty dollars, anyway." He successfully maneuvered his way out of the crowded parking lot. "So, where to next?"

"I don't know, you choose." You sipped your Frosty, wondering where he'd take you now.

He shrugged. "I don't think we'll be going back to the convention for a little bit, though."

Oh crap. Michael wanted to meet up with Shad at the convention.

Your phone buzzed. New message from Carolina. You read it. How's it going? You coming back to the con soon?

Now Carolina wanted you to come back, but you didn't want to leave this paradise. It was all just a mix of emotions in your head. Also, once you're a certain bit away from the con, you don't seem to fit in anymore, and you didn't want to take off your wig or show Shad who you really were just yet. You were a flurry of confusion. You wanted all these thoughts out of your head, and focus on being with him, even though it was hard.


End file.
